Tehran: Iran’s Football Federation has initiated discussions with FIFA regarding a potential venue change for its World Cup fixtures, citing safety concerns following escalating geopolitical tensions. Iranian football president Mehdi Taj confirmed that the federation is exploring the possibility of playing matches in Mexico instead of the United States, one of the tournament’s co-hosts.

The move comes after joint air strikes were launched on Iran by the United States and Israel, raising serious questions about the safety of Iranian players traveling to the U.S., President Donald Trump had also stated that while Iran would be allowed to participate, it might not be appropriate for the team to play in the U.S. due to security risks.

Responding to these concerns, Taj said that if the safety of the national team cannot be guaranteed, Iran would not travel to the United States. He added that negotiations are currently underway with FIFA to relocate their matches to Mexico.

Iran had secured qualification for their fourth consecutive World Cup after topping their group in the Asian qualifiers. The tournament, set to kick off on June 11, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play two group-stage matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle, alongside Group G opponents Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.

A potential shift of venues would pose a major logistical challenge for tournament organizers. However, similar decisions have been made in the past due to geopolitical tensions. Matches involving Belarus, for instance, were relocated during European qualifiers, while India and Pakistan have played at neutral venues in international cricket tournaments due to strained relations.

If FIFA does not approve the venue change, Iran’s participation itself could be at risk. The country’s sports minister has indicated that participation may not be possible under current circumstances. An official withdrawal would mark a rare occurrence in modern World Cup history and force FIFA to identify a replacement team.

Despite the uncertainty, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated that it has not received any official notification of Iran withdrawing from the tournament. AFC General Secretary Windsor John confirmed that, as of now, the Iranian federation has communicated its intention to participate in the World Cup.